The Katchakid Code
Enjoy the water and be safe. This is the water-safety advice we give every customer. None of it is about our products — it is what keeps children safe around water, whatever barrier you own.
Parents
- Never leave children alone around open water of any kind.
- Never allow your children to swim without a watchful, responsible adult present.
- Make sure your children understand how jumping or diving into water can result in injury. Know the depth of the water and the location of underwater hazards before permitting children to jump or dive.
- Use approved personal flotation devices on boats, when fishing, and while playing near a river, lake or ocean.
- Teach your child never to attempt to rescue a pet.
- Counsel children, especially teenagers, about the dangers of alcohol and drug consumption during water recreational activities.
Pool owners
- Secure your pool using multiple layers of protection: pool safety nets, fences, pool alarms and pool covers.
- Guard your pool with age-based supervision:
- Touch supervision for toddlers.
- Visual supervision for older children and teens.
- If entertaining around the pool, consider hiring a lifeguard for the day.
- Maintain your pool. Keep the water clear and clean so visibility is kept at a maximum.
- Position all swimming pool jets so that any floating objects end up in the shallow end of the pool, close to the steps or ladder.
- Remove all toys and floating objects from the pool when it is not in use.
- Never allow bikes and ‘rideable’ toys in the pool area.
- Keep a phone with you at the poolside. Never leave the water to answer the door or the phone while children are swimming or your pool is unprotected.
- Buy and have on hand equipment approved by the US Coast Guard: life preservers, life jackets, shepherd’s crook. Make sure children’s caregivers and supervisors know all the safety precautions and are fully trained in CPR.
- If you have a pool safety fence, do not leave chairs, ladders or other objects near the pool that would allow a child to climb up and over. Make sure all fence gates have self-closing latches.
What we can all do
- Support efforts in your state to pass legislation establishing basic safety requirements for all swimming areas, public and private.
- Learn CPR and rescue skills. Support the inclusion of CPR training in schools.
- Let family and friends know that drowning is largely preventable.